Mixed Lymphocyte Reaction (MLR)

Mixed Lymphocyte Reaction (MLR)

Mixed Lymphocyte Reaction (MLR) is a functional assay which measures the proliferative response of lymphocytes from different patients

Mixed Lymphocyte Reaction (MLR) assays provide a useful platform to determine the effects of antibodies and compounds on the ability of T cells to be activated and proliferate. Drug treatment that increases T cell proliferation and production of cytokines such as IFN-g in the MLR would indicate its potential ability to mount anti-tumour T cell responses in the tumour microenvironment.

In an MLR assay, T cells derived from one donor respond to allogeneic MHC molecules displayed by antigen presenting cells (APC) from a different donor.

The MLR assays provide a useful platform to determine the effects of antibodies and compounds on the ability of T cells to be activated and proliferate.

Various sources of APCs and modes of their activation/maturation can be used in the MLR assay such as: monocytes, immature and mature monocyte-derived dendritic cells, plasmocytoid DCs

APC can be matured using a variety of factors, LPS (and other TLR ligands) being the most common.

Proof of concept using Nivolumab, S1PR agonist and STING and TLR pathways agonists